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The Lone Egret

Written  By: Ari  A. Zeltzer

In  loving memory of my father Joseph Jerry Zeltzer

The Lone Egret stood in the green grass along his favorite spot near the lake.  The same spot he had stood many times before enjoying the warm sunshine and one shady tree for cover from the sun’s piercing rays.  Only this morning the sun was not shining.  A fierce rainstorm greeted him instead.  The rain fell hard and pelted the Lone Egret. Yet, he stood his ground, on his spot, determined to beat the storm – by himself the way he liked it.

The Lone Egret would never consciously cry out for other Egrets, family or friends to help him.  No matter how bad things got he told himself he would stay and fight the storm alone, by himself.  His pride prevented him from exposing his fear and pain to those who loved him.  So he endured the rain.  He believed he could survive this storm on his own. After all he survived many storms in the past throughout his long life.  He believed this storm would pass too.  He believed he was stronger then the storm.  So he stood his ground. By himself, alone.

Yet, the stormy rains continued to fall harder, and harder, pelting the Lone Egret so hard that he could no longer consciously withstand its pain.  Even his favorite shady tree that provided him shelter in the past, itself was drowning from the heavy raindrops, and could not provide cover.  He tried to muster the strength to fly away to safety, but the rain was pelting him to hard.  He could not find the strength to flap his wings and fly away.  He was alone. 

The Lone Egret acting solely on survival instinct finally began to cry out.  This was no ordinary cry.  His howl and screech was so loud that it could be heard miles away.  It was filled with pain and agony.  The Lone Egret overwhelmed by the ferocity of the storm was forced to cry out for help from others, something he told himself he would never do.  

In the distance the Lone Egret’s children who were safe and warm under protective cover heard their father’s shrieks.  They were in shock and disbelief, as throughout their lifetime they had never heard their father cry.  Startled by his screams, the children were uncertain on how to handle this new situation.  As they discussed amongst themselves what to do the Lone Egret’s screams grew louder and more desperate.  Without further delay the children left their shelter and braved the rain to find their father, the Lone Egret. 

They found him.  They could hardly believe their eyes.  There father, the stoic and Lone Egret being pelted by the stormy rains.  A site none of them could ever have imagined.  One after the other each child braved the ferocious storm to attempt a rescue while the others remained in safety.  They flew into the midst of the storm and landed next to their father, themselves being pelted by the rains.  They tried to find shelter for their father.  Yet, there was no shelter.  This storm was to powerful.  The only way the Lone Egret would survive was if he by himself, alone was to fly away.  The children tried so hard to show their father how to fly, how to flap his wings.  But, no matter how hard or how many times they attempted to show him, he would not do it.  The children no longer able to withstand the storm had no choice but to fly away to safety leaving their father alone.

The Lone Egret, as he had done on so many occasions in the past throughout his life, was left to stand his ground, without help from others and fight this storm. Alone, by himself - the way he liked it.

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